Chapter 5

• 【Jason POV】
• “Welcome back, Alpha!”
• A luxury car pulled up by the roadside. Twenty elite werewolves stood in perfect formation, bowing to greet my return.
• “Alright, everyone up! Joining the Phantom Pack means you’re family. Brothers don’t look down on each other!”
• I waved my hand and stepped forward, giving Lester a big bear hug.
• He’s a high-ranking beta and one of the few brothers I trust completely. He got out of prison two years ago, and with my secret help, he built the Phantom Pack from scratch.
• “Looks like you’ve done a damn good job. Appreciate the hard work.”
• I patted Lester on the shoulder.
• “No sweat. The guys all came together because of your alpha charisma. We’re tight, and things run smooth.”
• Lester opened the car door for me and started filling me in on the Phantom Pack’s current status. “We’ve got over twenty core members now, hundreds more on the outskirts. We control about a quarter of Nuremberg’s smuggling business…”
• “Nice, nice.”
• Hearing how much influence the Phantom Pack had gained—almost like a solid mid-tier pack—I felt a surge of relief. This would make everything I planned to do from now on a hell of a lot easier.
• I didn’t forget to remind Lester, “Keep it low-key next time. No need for big shows.”
• Master X had warned me more than once: the royal family of the Vost Empire has a sick obsession with power. If they ever found out about my pure alpha bloodline, it’d be a disaster. To protect me, he trained me to control my pheromones and to change my wolf form when shifting, so I could disguise myself.
• That’s why I run the Phantom Pack from the shadows. Whether I’m using the Healing Wolf’s power to help the rich and powerful or leading the pack, I always wear a mask. I go by the alias “Poison.” Most of the time, I show up as an omega. If I absolutely have to show strength, I fight as a regular beta who’s fixed the wolf’s flaws and regained beta-level power.
• Only a handful of people know who I really am—my loyal friends. As long as I don’t reveal the insane power and special abilities I have as Jason, I stay under the radar.
• “Bet this is what you’re most worried about right now.”
• Lester handed me a file.
• It was news about Lucia.
• I flipped it open immediately.
• More than a month after I went to prison, Lucia finally came to.
• Her injuries were brutal. The severe aftereffects knocked her down from beta to omega.
• She once tried to clear my name, but Helena and her pack of noble werewolves crushed her hard. Our whole family was pushed to the brink of extinction…
• I clenched my jaw tight, my hand trembling uncontrollably as I gripped the papers.
• It was a mix of heartbreak and pure rage.
• “So, what’s Helena and her crew up to now?”
• “They’re doing great,” Lester said. “Storm Pack has grown into one of the empire’s top-tier packs. Helena married the alpha heir of a super powerful pack ranked in the empire’s top ten. They even have a kid now…”
• “Good.”
• My voice went ice-cold. “The happier they get, the deeper the pain they’re gonna feel next.”
• I kept flipping through Lucia’s updates.
• After our family took that brutal hit, Lucia’s mom couldn’t handle the pressure. She cut ties with Lucia’s dad and later remarried the alpha of Frostmoon Pack, becoming their luna. That gave Lucia a quiet, peaceful life for a while.
• But the attacks from Helena and her crew didn’t stop there. And…
• Ironfang Pack became their muscle.
• My brother Mark was leading the charge.
• “Mark!”
• I couldn’t help but growl low.
• “That Mark, your brother?” Lester asked.
• “Yeah.”
• “After you went to prison, Ironfang Pack and your family got a massive boost from Storm Pack’s resources. Mark rose to become Ironfang’s chief beta. He led the takeover of Frostmoon Pack. Tomorrow night…”
• He hesitated, then went on, “After the wedding, Frostmoon Pack will officially merge into Ironfang Pack. Since Ironfang’s alpha has no heir, the elders will most likely pick Mark as the next alpha. He’s about to make a huge leap up the ranks.”
• Hearing all this, rage bubbled inside me like molten lava ready to explode.
• I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm.
• “I want you to dig into three things. And do it fast.”
• I told Lester, “First, since Lucia tried to clear my name, she must’ve tried to reach out or visit me. Why the hell did I never hear about it?”
• “Second, what the fuck did Mark do to force Lucia into marrying him?”
• “Third, how did Ironfang Pack’s alpha’s kid die so mysteriously? I’m betting Mark had a hand in it to push his own agenda.”
• I exhaled hard. “Now, take me to see Lucia. I need to know if my girl’s still safe.”